Studio easel



Nov. 3, 1936.

' A. c. HUELSDLONK STUDIO EASEL Filed June 5,

flu qust 0, Huelsdonizf.

Patented Nov. 3, 1936 means UNHTED STATES eATENroFFiee STUDIO EASEL August 0. Huelsdonk, Seattle, wash. Application June 3, 1935, Serial, No. 24,646 i 3 Claims. (o1.24s'-j195) My invention relates to studio easels and certain objects of the invention are to provide an improved easel comprising a self adjusting quadrilateral base which pivotally adapts to uneven floors; a standard having a three-point connection with the base whereby it may be readily tilted backwards or forwards; a shelf and an extension arm which may be slidably adjusted on the standard by raising or lowering either independently of the other or both as a single unit; and means for mounting a palette on the shelf whereby the palette may be adjustably brought to a horizontal or level position when the easel is tilted out of the vertical position.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction, com- ,bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described. These objects are illustrated in the accompanying drawing; wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the easel, showing in dotted lines the adjustable upright standard tilted both forward and backward, and also showing the quadrilateral base in dotted lines swung to the upright position; Fig. 2

- is a view in rear elevation of the easel, and showing in dotted lines the upright extension arm and the supporting shelf in a raised position; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the easel; and Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the supporting shelf and associated parts.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the quadrilateral base of the device comprises a pair of side members 5 that are held in parallel spaced apart relation by an end transverse member 6 having each of its ends pivotally secured to the respective end portions of the side members by a single screw l, and by a thick transverse member 8 having its ends interposed between the central portions of the side members and pivotally connected thereto by bolts 9 extending respectively through each of the side members into the ends of the said central transverse member. An upright standard Ill has its lower end fixed into the center of the central transverse member 9, and a boss caster H is fixed under each of the four ends of the side members 5. A stiffening member i2 is secured to the bottom of the transverse member 6 and its ends are beveled away from the side members so as to prevent frictional engage ment therewith in the flexible movement of the quadrilateral base.

The foregoing described construction of the quadrilateral base, and particularly its pivotal connections at l and 9 together with the boss casters ll resting on the floor, provides flexible means whereby the base adjusts itself to uneven floors and causes all four of the boss casters to rest on the floor thus 'aifording a firm foundation for the easel as a whole. Thus the easel may be shifted to an uneven fiooror other irregular surface when working on same and the base, by reason of its pivotal connections at l and 9, will adjust itself .to the irregular surface even though there be several inches difference in surface irregularity. The foregoing described construction also permits thequadrilateral base to be swung into alignment with the upright standard ID for shipment or storage, and allows the standard to be tilted backwards or forwards as shown in dotted lines in Fig. :1. 15

The means for tilting the upright standard in comprises a brace 13 having its lower end hinged to the center of the transverse end member ii at M, and its upper" end hinged at 15 to an upright finger l6 which rests slidably against the upright standard I0. Said finger is provided with aslot I1 and a bolt l8, passing through the upright standard and having its head countersunk therein, is provided with a Wing-nut W by means of which the finger maybe clamped in any desired position. Therefore, in order to tilt the standard forward or backward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, it is only necessary to loosen the one wing-nut l9, pivotally move the standard back or forth, and again tighten the wing-nut. This provides a simplified means for tilting the standard which, together with the three-point pivotal footing or mounting for the standard, namely the two bolts 9 and the hinge Hl',furnishes a simple, novel and effective means for quickly adjusting the upright standard member of the easel.

The shelf, which supports a canvas upon which a painting is done, consists of a horizontal board member 20 and a vertical board member 2| having its upper edge secured to an edge of the horizontal member slightly below its upper surface, thus providing a pedestal upon which the canvas 22 is seated as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The said horizontal board is provided with a slot 23 through which the upright standard 45 Ill loosely passes so that the ends of the shelf may be slightly tilted up or down to adjustably conform with the bottom edge of the canvas 22. The shelf is adjustably movable up or down on the standard In, and the means for clamping it in any desired position comprises a bracket frame consisting of a pair of blocks 24 secured to the horizontal and vertical board members 20 and 2! at their angle of connection, a horizontal member 25 slidably engaging the standard In and having its ends secured to said blocks, a bolt 26 having its head countersunk in the vertical board 2| and its threaded end projecting through the horizontal member outside or offset from the standard l0, and a wing-nut 21 threaded onto the bolt. Thus, when the wing-nut is tightened against the horizontal member 25 the shelf will, as a whole, be clamped in position on the standard In, and when said nut is loosened, the shelf may be moved up or down by means of a finger grasp 28 to any desired position.

The means for holding the top edge of the canvas 22 comprises an upright extension arm 29 having a cross block 30 pivotally secured to its upper end by a single screw 3|. The extension arm 29 passes slidably through a slot 32, which is a reduced portion of the slot 23 extending therefrom through the edge of the horizontal board member 20, and thence said arm extends;

between two guide members 33 which are secured to the vertical board member 2| and extend below same. A metal angle bracket 34 has its deflected ends respectively secured to the guide members and bridges the extension arm. A thumb-screw 35 extends through said angle bracket to a contact with the lower end of one of said guide members, and this arrangement provides means whereby the extension arm may be adjustably raised and lowered independently of the shelf, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, there being sufiicient play between the slot 32 and arm and also between the arm and guide members 33 when the thumb-screw 35 is loosened. This arrangement also provides means whereby both the shelf and extension arm may be adjustably raised or lowered together as a single unit, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, it being merely necessary to tighten the thumbscrew 35 and loosen the wing-nut 21.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the adjusting means for mounting a palette on the vertical board 21 of the shelf. Said means consists of a horizontal slot or slots 36 cut in said board and an angle-bracket 31 secured thereto immediately below the slot. A thumb-screw 38 extends through said bracket and may be threadedly raised or lowered vertically across the slot. A palette 39, extending through the slot and resting on the threaded end of the screw, and being of less thickness than the Width of the slot, may be tilted up or down by threadedly raising or lowering the thumb-screw. Thus for example, when the easel is tilted forward, as shown in dotted lines at the right in Fig. 1, the palette may be cooperatively raised to a level or horizontal position by setting up on the thumb-screw 38 so that the pigment or paint that is being mixed or used on the palette will not run off.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A studio easel comprising a quadrilateral base, an upright standard pivotally connected to the base, adjusting means consisting of a brace connected to the base and standard whereby the standard may be tilted from the vertical, a shelf slidably mounted on the standard and consisting of a horizontal and a vertical board member connected together, said horizontal board having a slot therein which slidably receives the upright standard, means for clamping the shelf to the upright standard, an upright extension arm mounted against the upright standard for slidable movement, guide members for the extension arm secured to the shelf, an angle bracket secured to said guide members and embracing the extension arm, and a thumb-screw extending through the bracket and engaging one of the guide members whereby said guide members may be clamped against the extension arm.

2. In a studio easel comprising a quadrilateral base, an upright standard pivotally connected to the base, and-a shelf mounted on the standard and consisting of a horizontal and a vertical board member, the combination of adjusting means for mounting a palette on the vertical board, said means consisting of a horizontal slot cut in said vertical board, an angle bracket secured to said board immediately below the slot, and a thumb screw extending through said bracket and arranged to be threadedly raised and lowered vertically across the slot.

3. A studio easel comprising a quadrilateral base embodying means whereby the base adjusts itself to uneven surfaces, said means consisting of a pair of spaced apart side members, a thick transverse central member interposed between the central portions of the side members and pivotally connected thereto by pivot pins extending horizontally through the side members and into the ends of the thick transverse central member, an upright standard having its lower end fixed to the center of the thick transverse central member, a thin transverse end member having its ends pivotally and loosely connected to the end portions of the side members for universal flexible movement, a stiffening member secured to the bottom of said thin transverse end member and having its ends beveled away from the side members, and a brace having its lower end pivotally connected to the center of said thin transverse end member and its upper end slidably connected to the upright standard.

AUGUST C. HUELSDONK. 

